To see a bit more of my "work life", projects I'm working on, and new gemstones I have acquired,
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As long as I can remember I have always enjoyed creating something from scratch with my own hands. I have tried my hand at lots of different 'arts', including watercolor, pencil drawing, acrylic painting, sewing, clay, stained glass, paper crafting, wire and steel, photography, and graphic design. I even like putting together Ikea furniture!

I started making jewelry in the fall of 2010. I heard about "metal clay" and read a few books and ordered some supplies. I taught myself (with the help of the books and the wonderful internet) and started making jewelry for family and friends as gifts. I also began learning more about semi-precious gemstones and incorporating them into my jewelry. I opened my Etsy store in January of 2011 and began selling earrings and then personalized mommy and grandma necklaces. Late 2013, I began learning how to set calibrated stones in very simple pre-made bezel settings. I kept seeing all kinds of stones that were different sizes and shapes that I wanted to work with, but didn't know how to create my own settings. Once again, I bought books, watched videos, and ordered lots more tools and supplies, and learned how! This led to learning more about traditional silversmithing, and I am on a quest to continually improve and learn new techniques.

The idea that my jewelry can be worn and cherished and passed on is what inspires me to keep this up. I am thankful to God for the opportunity to have this creative outlet and that I get to share it with others.